The fire service said on X at 1.15am that they were at the scene of a fire involving a property on Bellevue Farm Road.
A WSFRS spokesperson said: “Please avoid the area to allow firefighters to work safely.”
A photographer submitted pictures and video that show firefighters at a block of flats, as well as a destroyed electric bike.
A WSFRS spokesperson confirmed at 9am: “We were called at 12.29am this morning to reports of a fire involving a domestic property on Bellevue Farm Road in Pease Pottage. Joint Fire Control mobilised fire engines from Crawley and Horsham to the scene along with crews from Surrey Fire & Rescue Service. Upon arrival crews were faced with a fire involving an electric bike battery. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued a dog from the property and extinguished the fire using two high pressure hose reels and a covering jet.
“Crews remained on scene to ventilate the property before leaving the scene shortly after 2.15am.”
The fire service is now urging e-bike users to be aware of the risks e-bikes can pose.
They issued a statement at 2pm, saying the occupant of the home had been assessed and treated for minor smoke inhalation by South East Coast Ambulance Service. They said the fire was caused by an electric bike, but said the exact reason for the ignition is ‘yet to be determined’, adding: “At this time, it is believed to have been caused by either the charger or a faulty battery.”
Station Manager for Crawley, Alistair Green, said: “It is extremely fortunate that the property had working smoke alarms; these alerted the occupier to the fire in its early stages and gave him enough time to safely evacuate the property. This incident could have had severe consequences had working smoke alarms not been present. The occupier also closed the internal doors which prevented the fire and smoke from spreading to other rooms, or neighbouring flats, and causing harm. Across the country we are seeing more instances of fires caused by electric bikes and scooters, and sadly some of these incidents have been fatal. If you own one of these products, it’s really important that you use them responsibly and put safety measures in place to reduce the risk of fire.”
Safety advice can be found at www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime.
If you have an electric bike or scooter, the fire service advises you to:
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for charging and storing your electric bike/scooter.
Fit smoke or heat detection in the room where you charge or store your electric bike/scooter.
Store electric bikes/scooters and their batteries in a cool place. Avoid excessively hot or cold places.
Always use the manufacturer approved charger for the product.
Don’t overcharge and always unplug your charger when it’s finished charging.
Don’t leave batteries to charge while you are asleep or away from the home.
Don’t charge batteries or store your electric bike/scooter near combustible or flammable materials.
In the event of an electric bike/scooter or lithium-ion battery fire – do not attempt to extinguish the fire. Get out, stay out, call 999.
1. Pease Pottage
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service were called to an incident in Pease Pottage in the early hours of Wednesday morning (February 21) Photo: Eddie Mitchell
2. Pease Pottage
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service were called to an incident in Pease Pottage in the early hours of Wednesday morning (February 21) Photo: Eddie Mitchell
3. Pease Pottage
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service were called to an incident in Pease Pottage in the early hours of Wednesday morning (February 21) Photo: Eddie Mitchell
4. Pease Pottage
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service were called to an incident in Pease Pottage in the early hours of Wednesday morning (February 21) Photo: Eddie Mitchell